Shinmyung pointed at the zero generation Fist Gang members and shouted, "I've spent all my money on you three. I'm ordering you to capture Mujin Jin's son!"
Seeing that the ex-Fist Gang members weren't following Shinmyung's order, Shigeaki stepped in.
"Go and get Vin Jin."
"Are you ordering us?" Jaesu Noh asked as he looked at Shigeaki.
Gwang Yu grabbed Jaesu's shoulder. "Let's go. We might not like them, but they still employed us. We just need to capture that brat. Let's leave the 1st gen king to them."
---
Baki whistled as he carried a bundle of wood toward their hut. Suddenly, he noticed smoke rising from the hut's location.
"Shit! Did those bastards set our place on fire?!"
Baki dropped the wooden logs and sprinted toward the base. After a while, he reached it to find it engulfed in flames. He looked around for any potential threats. Instead, he found Sujin Kim standing in a corner. He walked over to her.
"Hey, newbie, who did this to the base?" Baki asked as he pointed at the burning hut.
Sujin, who had calmed down, replied, "T-teacher set it on fire. He said he wants to end an ill-fated relationship."
"Dammit! If you want to end your ill-fated relationship, why would you burn down the hut?! Fuck! I can't rebuild this piece of shit again! Maybe I'll just kill the shaman and take over his house!" Baki pulled his hair in frustration.
"Baki-hyung!" Jewoo called out from the distance.
Baki looked in their direction to find them running toward him. Seeing the battered Vin Jin over Mary's shoulder, Baki asked, "Damn, who kicked his ass this time?"
Mary dropped the already battered Vin Jin on the ground.
"Ouch! Why would you do that, you crazy elephant?!"
Just as Mary was about to beat up Vin Jin, Jewoo exclaimed, "Fuck! Why is the hut on fire?!"
The others also noticed the flames. Baki rubbed his forehead and said, "That bastard Seongji set it on fire! Go put it out!"
Jewoo and the others muttered, "Why would teacher do that...?"
The sound of footsteps approached.
"Yo! Why is this place burned down even before we took action?" Beolgu asked Jaesu as he pointed at the burning hut.
"Maybe they had an accident?" Jaesu replied.
"Oi! Who are you guys?" Baki asked the newcomers.
Gwang came forward. "Are you The Ogre?"
Baki squinted his eyes. "So what if I am?"
Beolgu laughed. "Damnit! Whoever came up with your nickname was on point! Hahaha!"
Baki's face darkened. Vin Jin, who recognized Beolgu, shouted, "Baki-hyung! This is the one who beat me up!"
Beolgu looked at Vin Jin before grinning. "It seems we've found both targets in one place."
Jaesu replied, "Better for us. Less searching and more fighting, then!"
"Three versus one?" Baki cracked his knuckles, his ogre-like features twisting into a mean grin. "I hope you bastards brought more than attitude."
"Don't underestimate them, Baki-hyung!" Vin Jin warned, clutching his ribs. "That bastard Beolgu hits like a freight train!"
Gwang Yu moved first, closing the distance fast. He threw a low kick at Baki's leg, then immediately swung a hook at his head. Baki shifted his weight, taking the leg kick, but Gwang's fist grazed his jaw.
"Not bad!" Baki grunted.
Before he could hit back, Jaesu appeared on his left, throwing a heavy punch toward Baki's head. Baki barely dodged, but Beolgu was already there, slamming a brutal body shot into Baki's ribs.
THUD
The sound echoed. Baki's eyes widened—the punch had real power. He stumbled back, and the three old fighters pressed forward.
"This is the difference between you and us, kid!" Gwang declared, diving low to grab Baki's legs.
Baki sprawled, blocking the takedown, but Jaesu kicked his shoulder hard. They moved together perfectly, covering for each other and attacking in rhythm.
Beolgu laughed, landing another heavy shot to Baki's stomach. "Your nickname's perfect! You look like an ogre, and now you're about to get slayed like one!"
They worked as one unit. Gwang pushed forward with his strikes, forcing Baki to defend. Jaesu had perfect timing with his power shots, hitting Baki when he was vulnerable. And Beolgu found every gap in Baki's guard.
CRACK
A spinning strike from Jaesu caught Baki across the cheek, snapping his head sideways. Blood dripped from his split lip.
"Baki-hyung!" Mary shouted, moving to help, but Jewoo held her back.
"Wait... look at his face."
Baki's expression had changed. The surprise was gone, replaced by something wild. His eyes gleamed as he wiped the blood from his mouth.
"I see... so this is what the 0th Generation's Fist Gang can do." Baki's voice got deeper, almost like an animal. "Fuck! This feels so good!"
He lowered his stance. His muscles rippled under his skin. The air around him seemed heavy.
"You know what?" Baki's grin widened, showing his blood-stained teeth. "I just fucking love fighting!"
Gwang rushed in again, trying to grab Baki's legs, but this time Baki was ready. He blocked the attempt and wrapped his arms around Gwang's neck in a tight grip. Then he threw Gwang through the air like he weighed nothing. Gwang crashed into a tree hard.
"Gwang!" Jaesu shouted, distracted for just a second.
That was all Baki needed.
He shot forward fast, closing in on Jaesu instantly. He punched straight into Jaesu's chest, right in the center. Jaesu's eyes bulged as all the air left his lungs in one violent gasp.
Beolgu tried to help, swinging a wild punch at Baki's head, but Baki ducked smoothly under it. He immediately drove his knee up into Beolgu's side, right where the liver was.
THUMP
The sound was sick. Beolgu's face went white as pain shot through his body, freezing him in place.
"The difference between you and me," Baki said calmly, grabbing Beolgu's collar, "isn't experience."
He slammed his forehead into Beolgu's face. The crack of skull meeting skull echoed across the clearing.
"It's that I'm just fucking stronger!" Baki let go of Beolgu, who dropped to his knees, blood pouring from his broken nose. "Tch! Where did your pride go?"
Gwang had gotten back up and charged again, refusing to quit. He threw everything—elbows, knees, punches—all fast and dangerous. But Baki slipped past every single one, his head moving just enough to avoid each strike.
Baki stepped forward and delivered a knee strike, then extended his leg to slam into Gwang a second time. Before Gwang could recover, Baki spun around and brought his heel down hard on Gwang's head from above.
CRACK
Gwang collapsed in a heap, knocked out cold.
Jaesu had recovered enough to move. He came at Baki from behind, trying to wrap his arms around Baki's neck. For a moment, his grip started to close around Baki's throat.
"Got you!" Jaesu gasped.
Baki just flexed his neck. The muscles expanded, snapping Jaesu's grip like it was nothing. Before Jaesu could react, Baki grabbed his arm, pulled him forward over his shoulder, and slammed him into the ground so hard the earth cracked beneath him.
The whole fight took less than five minutes, but it was completely over. Beolgu struggled to stand, swaying, his cocky attitude gone. Gwang lay unconscious. Jaesu groaned in the crater, barely moving.
"Done already?" Baki said, rolling his shoulders like the fight had been easy. "I had fun while it lasted." He looked at the three beaten men with almost pity. "You guys had experience, but that's all."
Beolgu spat blood, still trying to get up. "Damn... monster..."
"Monster?" Baki tilted his head. "Nah. I'm just better." He turned his back on them and walked toward his group.
Vin Jin stared in shock. "Baki-hyung... that was crazy."
"Tch." Baki rubbed his ribs where Beolgu's early punches had landed. "Where's Seongji?" He looked at Vin Jin.
"Oh shit! Teacher is fighting the shaman's guards alone."
Baki glanced at the beaten Fist Gang members. "Were there more like these three there?"
Vin Jin shook his head. "No. Only some guards and the Kojima brothers."
Baki cracked his neck. "Good. You guys stay here. I'll go check it out."